Thai Curry Pastes

When most Westerners hear the word curry they think of a mild yellow Indian-style seasoning. However, in Thai cuisine it has many colors and levels of fire. There is a distinct Thai identity in it's lemon grass, shrimp paste, dried chilies and shallots.

Cardamom and Cinnamon were brought to Thailand by Indian Muslim traders and dishes using these are referred to as Mussaman or Muslim curries.

• Thai Green Curry Paste

  The cool jade green color of this type of curry is very deceptive for the uninformed diner. The green variety is the hottest of all the Thai curries.

  Ingredients

  • 15 Green Chilies
  • 3 Tablespoon Chopped shallots
  • 1 Teaspoons Chopped Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Chopped Galangal
  • 1 Teaspoons Chopped Lemon Grass
  • ½ Teaspoon Chopped Kaffir Lime Rind
  • 1 Teaspoons Chopped Coriander Root
  • 5 Peppercorns
  • 1 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Shrimp Paste

  Preparations

  1. Put the coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in a pan over low heat.
  2. Dry roast the seeds for about 5 minutes.
  3. grind the roasted seeds into a powder.
  4. Put the rest of the ingredients except the shrimp paste into a food processor.
  5. Blend them together until mixed well.
  6. Add the coriander-cumin seed mixture and the shrimp paste
  7. Blend this into a fine-textured paste.

  You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months

• Thai Red Curry Paste

  This is a moderately hot Curry paste. It is a complex mix of many flavors that goes well with meat, fish, or vegetables. Red curry paste is used in several other dishes that are not considered as curries including Thai Satay sauce.

  Ingredients

  • 9 Dried Red Chillies
  • 5 Shallots
  • 1 Teaspoon Shredded Galangal
  • 1 Tablespoon Sliced Lemon Grass
  • 2 Tablespoon Coriander Root
  • 1 Teaspoon Kaffir Lime Peel
  • 1 Teaspoon White Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds
  • 2 Teaspoon Sliced Shallot
  • 2 Tablespoon Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Shrimp Paste
  • ½ Teaspoon Kaffir Lime Skin
  • 1 Teaspoon Coriander Root
  • 5 White Peppercorns

  Preparations

  Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months

• Thai Panang Curry Paste

  This is a perfect example of what Thai cooks aspire to, having many distinctive flavors held in a beautiful balance, with no single taste predominating over the others.

  Ingredients

  • 5 Dried Chilli
  • 5 Shallots
  • 10 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Galangal
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Grass
  • ½ Teaspoon Kaffir Lime Skin
  • 1 Teaspoon Coriander Root
  • 5 White Peppercorns
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Shrimp Paste

  Preparations

  Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months

• Thai Mussaman Curry Paste

  This is the spice paste which you use for Mussaman Beef. Spices such as cardamom nutmeg and cinnamon were brought to Thailand by Indian Muslim traders and dishes using these are referred to as Mussaman (Muslim) curries.

  Ingredients

  • 7 small dried red chillies
  • 2 pieces dried galangal
  • ½ Cup warm water
  • 1 Teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon cumin or fennel seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 stalk lemon grass
  • 2 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • ¼ Cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1 Teaspoon shrimp paste
  • ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon ground nutmeg

  Preparations

  1. Remove the stems and seeds from the chillies.
  2. Soak the chillies and galangal in the warm water from 20 minutes.
  3. After soaking, drain and discard the soaking water.
  4. Put the coriander seeds, and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat.
  5. Roast them for about 2 minutes until the cumin seeds have darkened, the cloves are a green-gray color, and the mixture is very fragrant.
  6. Chop the chillies, galangal, and lemon grass finely.
  7. Combine with the remaining ingredients
  8. Grind to a smooth paste in a blender with a small amount of water.

  You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months

• Thai Yellow Curry Paste

  This curry paste is closet in taste and color to what Westerners think of when they hear the word curry. That’s because this mellow, sweetly spiced paste is based on Indian-style seasonings

  Ingredients

  • 3 Dried Chilli
  • 5 Shallots
  • 10 Cloves Roasted Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Galanga
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Grass
  • 1 Teaspoon Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Roasted Coriander
  • 1 Teaspoon Roasted Caraway
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Shrimp Paste

  Preparations

  Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months

• Sour Curry Paste (Nam Prik Kaeng Som)

  This is a simple curry paste that goes well with fish and vegetables.

  Ingredients

  • 10 Dried chilies
  • 5 Shallots, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoons Shrimp paste
  • 1 Tablespoons Salt

  Preparations

  Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth paste.You can make a large batch of paste, portion out 3 Tablespoon size mounds on sheets of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a sealed container and freeze it for later use. The paste can be stored for 6 months